(Corrections and clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated how many people were on board the helicopter carrying Kobe and Gianna Bryant when it crashed. Nine people were on board.)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić continues to endear himself to the team’s fanbase after donating money to help restore a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
While he was a member of the Dallas Mavericks, Dončić was playing against the Lakers when he had an opportunity to interact and meet with Bryant and his daughter, who were watching the game.
Dončić shared mutual respect for Bryant and even spoke kindly of Bryant and his daughter when he was in Los Angeles for his introductory news conference after being traded to the Lakers earlier this year.
‘I remember the exact moment when that happened,’ Dončić said about meeting the Bryants. ‘It would always stay in my mind. It was an amazing moment just for Kobe to know my name. … I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment.’
Bryant and his daughter were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, along with seven other people, including the pilot, while en route to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park, California. He was scheduled to coach his daughter’s team that day.
Bryant has been memorialized across Southern California with several murals by various artists, including some that feature his daughter.
How much did Luka Dončić donate to restore the mural?
Luka Dončić is listed as the top donor with $5,000 on the GoFundMe page created to help fund the restoration. A GoFundMe representative confirmed with USA TODAY that the donation came from the Lakers star through the Luka Doncic Foundation.
What happened to the Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural?
A mural of Kobe giving a kiss on his daughter’s head was vandalized in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning. Photographs have surfaced of graffiti over the mural. The mural is located on 112 W 14th Street.
The mural was one of several painted by Louie Palsino, who also goes by Sloe Motions.